Carver leaving UT Martin to accept role at UT Institute of Agriculture

University of Tennessee President Randy Boyd announced Thursday that UT Martin Chancellor Dr. Keith Carver has accepted a leadership position at the UT Institute of Agriculture in Knoxville.

UTIA Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President Carrie Castille will become a special advisor to President Boyd and Carver will serve as the new leader of the UT Institute of Agriculture.

Pending board approval, Carver will begin March 1.

UTIA is thriving with record research expenditures, increased enrollment, expanding programs, including its first School of Natural Resources, and a strong Extension presence in all 95 counties.

Over the next several months, Castille will advise the president on issues of agriculture-related policy, and federal grant opportunities.

Carver, who previously served as executive assistant to UT President Joe DiPietro, will head UTIA in a two-year limited duration appointment to provide stability and leadership to the institute. The UT Institute of Agriculture provides solutions to problems across the state through UT Extension, UT AgResearch, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine and the Herbert College of Agriculture.

“We appreciate Carrie’s service and are very excited to have Keith move into this statewide role with UTIA,” said Boyd. “His experience across the UT system, collaborative spirit and his deep appreciation for UT’s land grant mission made him an obvious choice for this role.”

UT Martin Provost Philip Acree Cavalier will serve as interim chancellor at UT Martin. The university will launch a search for a new chancellor in the coming weeks.